问答题Practice 4　　The other kind of bank—the Bank of the United States was simultaneously a commercial bank and a quasi-public central bank. The First Bank of the United States, chartered by the Congress in 1791, owed its existence to Alexander Hamilton who,

Practice 4　　The other kind of bank—the Bank of the United States was simultaneously a commercial bank and a quasi-public central bank. The First Bank of the United States, chartered by the Congress in 1791, owed its existence to Alexander Hamilton who, shortly after becoming Secretary of the Treasury, showed remarkable insight into the financial problems of the young country and the economic implications of banking. The First Bank of the United States operated much like a private bank. But unlike a regular commercial bank, it had the federal government as a partner and number one customer. The Bank served as the fiscal agent for the government, holding government tax receipts, paying government bills, performing various financial housekeeping tasks. In return, the government kept its cash as deposits with the First Bank of the United States, giving it a huge financial base. The First Bank’s federal charter, moreover, allowed it to operate branches in all states, giving it a big competitive edge over regular state-chartered banks, which could operate only in the states that chartered them. Gradually the First Bank of the United States evolved into a sort of banker’s bank, gaining the power to police lesser commercial banks.